CLIPPERS DESERVE LOSS, BOOS : GOLDEN ST. 111, CLIPPERS 101.

Byline: Scott Wolf Daily News Staff Writer

Clippers fans in Orange County have consistently demonstrated they can show up in greater numbers and be much quieter than their Los Angeles counterparts.

But in the season finale in Anaheim, they sounded exactly like the more outspoken fans who inhabit the Sports Arena. For the first time this season, they booed the Clippers.

It didn't help that the crowd of 13,247 at Anaheim Arena was armed with megaphones given away before the game.

They had reason to boo. The Clippers trailed by 25 points in the second half before falling 111-101 to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.

The Warriors (34-43) have some incentive left in this season, moving within 1-1/2 games of Sacramento for the Western Conference's final playoff spot. They converted 9 of 13 shots from 3-point range and got 28 points from Latrell Sprewell and 24 from Kevin Willis.

As for the Clippers, well, they did outscore Golden State 27-14 over the final nine minutes of the fourth quarter.

``I think it's evidenced by their play that they're motivated to make the playoffs,'' Brent Barry said of Golden State. ``They shot extremely well but we played extremely poor defense.''

About all that's left for the Clippers right now is pride.

``There's no kind of other kudos other than that. And trying to see how many more games we can win than last year,'' Loy Vaught said.

Vaught typified the Clippers' struggles. He missed 7 of his first 10 shots and ended up 7 for 18. It was reminiscent of his Feb. 2 effort at Anaheim Arena, when he was 2 for 13.

``I know I struggle here shooting,'' Vaught said. ``There's something about this place. I have to get used to it.''

Rodney Rogers led the Clippers with 21 points before leaving in the third quarter after reaggravating a hip pointer.

The Clippers (28-49) finished the Anaheim series with a 4-4 record.

Notes: Clippers center Brian Williams, who did not dress, remains bothered by soreness in a tendon attached to his right shin bone. ``I can walk and run, I just can't explode,'' Williams said. The injury occurred as he dunked against the Chicago Bulls on the Clippers' last road trip. . . . Clippers owner Donald Sterling attended the game and sat next to Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly. . . . On the team bus to Anaheim Arena, the Clippers watched a tape of old TV show ``The White Shadow'' with special guest star Elgin Baylor, the club's vice president.